Hilary Duff Gets Real About Why The 'Lizzie McGuire' Reboot Was Axed

Hilary Duff and Disney were at odds with one another about the revival of her 2000s Disney Channel original series, Lizzie McGuire.

In a recent appearance, the former child star got candid about the cancellation of the revival, admitting that the folks behind Disney+ didn't pinpoint the kind of audience they wanted for a grown-up McGuire. "I think they are really trying to figure out what kind of content they want living on Disney+, and that doesn’t totally align with, like, where I see Lizzie right now," she explained. "I’m very protective of her and they’re very protective of her."

Announced in 2019, the revival was set to portray a grown McGuire navigating her life in New York City. The series was axed in December 2020 and it seems that it was because Duff wanted her character to be portrayed in a realistic light. "The one thing for me was just the way that she could connect with what was going on in people that were watching the show. And so, for me, it only makes sense to me to shoot a show where she’s acting like a 30-year-old in a modern world," she continued.

The cast of the original series was brought back and even shot two episodes in November 2019, but Duff is appreciative of their reunited time together. "It was lovely to relive that even for three weeks of my life, because, you know, there was a point in my life where I couldn’t stand Lizzie McGuire," she recalled. "And I was like, 'I don't want to hear that name ever again.’ And now that I'm my age, I'm, like, 'I love her.'"

Ultimately, Duff said that she will forever be intertwined with the Disney Channel staple. "She's, you know, this is where it all began for me. And she is me and I am her. And I brought what I could to that, which was very much just who I am inside," she said. "And so to tap into that again, even for a moment, was really a great experience."

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content